International Glance
Around the world, Sweden is viewed as a haven for liberal values and progressive policy. This image is likely to change after the election this Sunday. If polls are accurate, the far-right Sverigedemokraterna (Sweden Democrats) will receive about a fifth of the vote, giving them tremendous power in parliament.
In the past few weeks, international media have descended upon Sweden, attempting to explain this rise of the far-right. Most have come up with a similar story, that goes something like this: the political establishment, and the governing parties of the past decade, from the center-left and center-right, have completely failed to handle the challenges of mass immigration, and now they are paying the price. So voters are turning to the Sweden Democrats as a kind of corrective to an unrealistic immigration policy.
Pope Francis on Monday accepted the resignation of an Australian archbishop convicted in criminal court of covering up the sexual abuse of children by a priest, taking action after coming under mounting pressure from ordinary Catholics, priests and even the Australian prime minister.
